When Your Mind Won’t Shut Off at 2 a.m.
- Carolyn Frost
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
You know that feeling when your mind won’t shut off?
Two a.m. thoughts racing about unfinished to-dos and conversations you wish had gone differently (... in 7th grade )?
For years I thought the fix was more control:
Better planning, tighter focus, stronger willpower.
But stress doesn’t respond to control.
It responds to signals of safety.
Here are 10 fast resets that help you shift from survival mode back to calm (right in the middle of chaos, not after it).
✨ I N S P I R E
"You can't calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass."
- Timber Hawkeye
✨ T H R I V E
10 micro-resets to get back to calm (all under 60 seconds):
1) The 4-7-8 Breath
↳ Inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8
↳ Activates your parasympathetic nervous system instantly
2) Cold Water Wrist Reset
↳ Run cold water over wrists for 30 seconds
↳ Cools pulse points and drops your heart rate immediately
3) The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
↳ Name 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you touch, 2 you smell, 1 you taste
↳ Interrupts panic spiral and grounds you in reality
↳ My kids' favorite - there's an immediate shift to calm💛
4) Shoulder Tension Release
↳ Lift shoulders to ears, hold 5 seconds, drop completely
↳ Releases physical stress you didn't know you were carrying
5) The Reset Phrase
↳ Say "Let me gather my thoughts" and pause 10 seconds
↳ Buys you time while looking professional, not panicked
6) Feet Grounding Technique
↳ Press both feet firmly into ground, feel the connection
↳ Creates instant stability and reduces floating anxiety
7) Heart Rate Coherence
↳ Hand on heart, breathe to match your heartbeat rhythm
↳ Syncs your nervous system and creates coherence
8) Progressive Muscle Release
↳ Tense entire body for 5 seconds, then completely let go
↳ Full-body reset that works when everything feels tight
9) Box Breathing
↳ 4 counts in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold - repeat 4 times
↳ Military technique that works under extreme pressure
10) The Energy Check
↳ Rate energy 1-10, then do what you need to get to 7
↳ Prevents running on empty and making poor decisions
Every reset works in the middle of chaos.
None require you to stop what you're doing or find a quiet room.
The secret?
Practice when you don't need it, so it's available and familiar when you do
Tell me, what's your one minute go-to stress reset?
Carolyn
xx
PS ~ I'm building something special on Instagram!
Daily wisdom and practical tips to help you manage stress and overwhelm, set boundaries and protect your energy.
Just started last week, so excited for a new beginning!
Carolyn
✨ R E S O U R C E S
What a Raccoon in My Hallway Taught Me About Myself: Creating peace in chaos when life throws you curveballs
A Simple Tool to Live With More Intention: The STOP practice for mindful living in overwhelming moments
Where Peace Begins: Peace begins with me - you get to choose your response
